US Patent Issued to Intuitive Surgical Operations on Sept. 8 for "Electrically weldable suture material, and apparatus and method for forming welded suture loops and other welded structures" (Massachusetts Inventor)

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 8 -- United States Patent no. 12,727,880, issued on Sept. 8, was assigned to Intuitive Surgical Operations Inc. (Sunnyvale, Calif.).

"Electrically weldable suture material, and apparatus and method for forming welded suture loops and other welded structures" was invented by Thomas D. Egan (Marblehead, Mass.).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A device for positioning in the body of an animal, the device comprising a first portion and a second portion that may be positioned in contact with one other, the first portion and the second portion each comprising a biocompatible conductive thermoplastic material, such that when the device is positioned in the body of an animal and e...